


Personal Delivery

by esanabridges



Category: Emelan - Tamora Pierce
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-19
Updated: 2019-03-19
Packaged: 2019-11-24 04:10:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18161300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/esanabridges/pseuds/esanabridges
Summary: Tris moves into her new room and finds a surprise.





	Personal Delivery

Tris entered the small student room across the street from Lightsbridge and promptly shrieked, nearly dropping the boxes bundled in her arms. Lightning sparked on her braids, and she had started to collect it into a clump when the figure hiding in the shadows stepped into the light, hands up.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, I don't think you're going to get your room deposit back if you leave scorch marks on the carpet, Coppercurls."

She closed her eyes, now considering murder for an entirely different reason, and began to count, steeling her breath until her heartrate had returned to something more manageable. When she felt less inclined to kick her uninvited guest's head in, she opened her eyes again and directed them towards him with her best glare.

Briar Moss, arguably her best and also worst friend/sibling, seemed totally unfazed, but then, he hadn't been fazed by her anger for the better part of eight years. _Even in the beginning, I couldn't get anywhere being mad at him._ Still, she had to try.

"Why are you breaking into my room?"

"Is it really breaking in if the locks are so bad?" Briar waggled a piece of thin metal at her. "Seriously, Coppercurls, we need to get you new locks. A stiff breeze could open those flimsy things."

Tris glared at the door for its betrayal and then back again at Briar. "Briar, I saw you yesterday. We said goodbye - there was cake! What are you doing here?"

"It was good cake," Briar remarked dreamily. "You should leave more often." He grinned as her gaze intensified and then shrugged his shoulders, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I had to be here to make sure my delivery got placed right."

"What delivery?" Tris snapped, still irritated.

Briar strolled across the room to the window, next to which was a tall, rectangular object covered with a thin, white sheet. He beckoned her over, and Tris reluctantly went. As she watched, impatient at Briar's propensity for dramatics, he pulled at the sheet, removing it with a flourish.

The scent of pine flooded her nose, and she found herself blinking at the darkly rich, roughly carved wood before her, a simple bookcase, with five shelves that had been sanded completely smooth. Instinctively, she reached out and touched the wood. Tingles shot down her arm, familiar ones, and she snatched her hand back in shock, turning to look at Briar.

He was examining the bookshelf thoughtfully. Without really looking at her, he said, "The _shakkan_ has been feeling itchy lately, too much energy, so we decided to let some of it go." He patted one of the shelves thoughtfully. "The Water Temple needed more pine for a new wing, so we cut off the excess, and then we had some left over, and Daj' and Sandry already had gifts for you, so -" Briar shrugged, green eyes flickering over to Tris in a subtle movement. "I knew you'd need a bookshelf, Coppercurls. Where else are all those fussy, old authors going to go?"

Tears prickled Tris' eyes, and she wiped at them impatiently. An arm wrapped itself around her shoulders, pulling her in against Briar, who squeezed and then let go.

"You're going to do great, Tris." His voice was soft and gentle, and Tris was blinded, as she always was, by how kind the former street rat could make himself. "Or maybe not." She glared up at him, and he grinned back down. "But either way, we're going to be here. Don't forget that."

She laid a hand on the shelves again, feeling the lingering calm of Briar's _shakkan_ , the deep concentration of Briar's careful hands with hammer and saws and nails, and the underlying hum of _warmth_ and _home._

_And love_ , she thought and smiled.


End file.
